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India's Deepwater Race: Why Bold Exploration Is Key to Energy Independence

India's Petroleum Secretary has issued a urgent call for bold deepwater exploration strategies. He emphasized that India cannot afford incremental progress in its quest for energy independence. Top energy officials highlighted technological breakthroughs in AI and seismic imaging that will drive discovery success. The push aligns with Prime Minister Modi's announcement of the National Deep Water Exploration Mission from the Red Fort.

Key Points: Petroleum Secretary Urges Bold Deepwater Exploration for Energy Self-Reliance

  • Secretary Jain emphasizes urgent need for big discoveries before energy alternatives dominate
  • ONGC CEO highlights AI and seismic imaging breakthroughs for exploration success
  • Oil India CMD cites progressive policies making India attractive for exploration
  • Deep Ocean Mission aims to sustainably harness ocean resources for Blue Economy
4 min read

Petroleum Secretary calls for bold, time-bound deepwater exploration for India's energy self-reliance

Petroleum Secretary Pankaj Jain calls for urgent deepwater exploration strategies to achieve India's energy independence amid global energy transition challenges.

"We do not have the luxury we used to have a hundred years ago or 150 years ago - Petroleum Secretary Pankaj Jain"

Jaipur, October 26

Petroleum and Natural Gas Secretary Pankaj Jain on Sunday called for bold, time-bound exploration strategies aligned with the National Deepwater Mission, emphasising urgency, innovation, and national responsibility in realising India's energy self-reliance, or Atmanirbharta.

Delivering the keynote at the 15th Biennial International Conference and Exposition of the Society of Petroleum Geophysicists (SPG-India) 2025, themed "Rock to Cloud: GeoExploration Empowering Energy Evolution in Jaipur, the Secretary urged the stakeholders to combine scientific rigour with commercial vision, noting that India can no longer afford incremental progress.

"One day, not too far off, we will be looking at a situation where there will be alternative forms of energy, which will increasingly matter more to us in terms of the incremental demand satisfaction, than fossil fuels, or the way we use fossil fuels itself is going to change. And therefore, it doesn't matter what the peak will be, when the peak will be; the fact is that we have to try to get those big discoveries," the secretary said, as per a statement from ONGC.

Deep Ocean Mission, launched in 2021, focuses on sustainably harnessing ocean wealth and strengthening the Blue Economy.

"We do not have the luxury we used to have a hundred years ago or 150 years ago," added Secretary Pankaj Jain.

On August 15, from the ramparts of the Red Fort this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said, "To make the country developed, we are now moving towards 'Samudra Manthan' (churning of the ocean). Taking forward our Samudra Manthan, we want to work in a mission mode towards finding oil reserves, gas reserves under the sea and hence India is going to start the National Deep Water Exploration Mission. This is our important announcement to become energy independent."

The Conference was inaugurated today at the Jaipur Exhibition and Convention Centre (JECC). The conference was inaugurated by the Secretary Jain, in the presence of Chairman and CEO, ONGC and Chief Patron, SPG-India, Arun Kumar Singh, CMD, Oil India Ltd., Dr. Ranjit Rath, Director (Exploration), ONGC, and Patron, SPG-India, O.P. Sinha, and President, SPG-India, Ranbir Singh.

Addressing the gathering, ONGC CEO Arun Kumar Singh reaffirmed ONGC's commitment to advancing India's deepwater exploration mission, stressing that technological breakthroughs in seismic imaging, AI-driven interpretation, and data analytics will define the next leap in discovery success.

CMD, Oil India, Ranjit Rath underscored that India has emerged as one of the most promising destinations for exploration, supported by progressive reforms such as the Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP), Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP), and the Offshore Bidding Rounds.

Rath called upon India's geo-scientific community to remain "restless in pursuit of exploration" and deepen efforts in frontier basins, particularly in ultra-deepwater domains.

Director (Exploration), ONGC, and Patron, SPG - India, O.P. Sinha highlighted the significance of the "Rock to Cloud" theme as emblematic of India's shift toward data-driven, technology-intensive exploration. He emphasised the need for collaboration between academia, industry, and government to accelerate discoveries and leverage India's vast sedimentary basins.

The inaugural session also featured the presentation of the B.S. Negi Convention Gold Medal and Citation to well-known geoscientist and exONGCian, G C Katiyar. SPG 2025 Conference Souvenir and the special issue of the GEOHORIZONS journal were also released on the occasion.

The SPG 2025 Exposition, showcasing cutting-edge technologies and solutions from global leaders in geoscience and energy exploration, was inaugurated by Chairman and CEO, ONGC and Chief Patron, SPG-India, Arun Kumar Singh, in the presence of CMD, Oil India Ltd., Dr. Ranjit Rath.

The three-day event brings together leading geoscientists, policymakers, researchers, and energy experts from across the world to deliberate on the evolving frontiers of oil and gas exploration, technological innovation, and sustainable energy solutions.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
While I appreciate the vision, I hope we're also investing equally in renewable energy. Deepwater exploration is important, but let's not forget solar and wind power which can give faster results for energy security.
A
Arun Y
As someone working in the oil industry, this is exactly what we needed to hear. The combination of AI and traditional geoscience can revolutionize exploration. Hope the government provides adequate funding and removes bureaucratic hurdles.
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Sarah B
The environmental impact concerns me. Deepwater drilling has risks as we've seen internationally. Hope proper safety protocols and environmental assessments are in place. Energy independence shouldn't come at the cost of our marine ecosystems.
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Vikram M
This is strategic thinking! With global energy prices fluctuating, discovering our own reserves will give India tremendous bargaining power. The Blue Economy focus is brilliant - oceans are our future.
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Nikhil C
Good initiative but execution is key. We've had many missions before that got stuck in red tape. Hope this time there's proper monitoring and accountability. The "time-bound" aspect needs to be taken seriously.

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